Author: News-Press NOW

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Nearly a quarter of registered voters in St. Joseph cast a ballot Tuesday to decide the fate of a wide-ranging school bond issue and two Board of Education seats.

With all 22 precincts now reporting, preliminary data shows that 24.2% of registered voters turned out for Tuesday’s high-profile election. A total of 11,947 ballots were cast out of 49,306 registered voters.

The Central Christian Church polling location recorded the most ballots with 1,952, followed by St. Peter Lutheran Church with 948.

Voters on Tuesday defeated a 60-cent tax levy increase to finance the construction of a new $157 million high school south of Highway 36. Jennifer Kerns and incumbent Kim Miller were also elected to the St. Joseph School District Board of Education.

Turnout for April elections typically hovers between 15% and 20%, depending on the ballot measures.

Roughly 26.7% of registered voters turned out during the last St. Joseph School District bond measure in April 2021, a measure that was also defeated. A total of 12,000 residents voted on that measure.

“I have said this for years. April elections are just as important, if not more than a presidential,” Baack-Garvey said. “This affects you right here at home.”

Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District’s Prop 2 bond measure was defeated by about 800 votes.

Over 53% of voters dis-approved of the measure to build a new high school south of U.S. Highway 36.

The measure would have had to win with a 57% simple majority.

“It was extremely hard in order to take this loss, ok but a good thing about a long range plan, it’s a Plan A and a Plan B,” said LaTonya Williams, SJSD School Board president. “And Plan A was a new high school, and it was a wash, and we’re moving to Plan B right now.”

When it comes to moving to “Plan B”, School Board vice president, Mike Moore said the board will continue the road to reach it’s goal of right-sizing.

“The reason we even had this proposition was to execute a long range plan that has some really serious things in it…” said Moore. “We’re able to address, specifically, inequities, among the offering of both activities and academics at the three high schools….”

Given the results of the voters, the School Board will now move on to discuss an $80 million no-tax levy to appear on April 2026 ballot to upgrade two existing high schools. Those high schools are Lafayette and Central.

“It is in the long-range plan in order to use a portion of the bond capacity,” said Williams. “We’re able to use up to $80 million if the Board chooses, in order to do so.”

As discussed in the St. Joseph School District’s long-range plan, Benton would be converted into a middle school.

Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A hotel in the Shoppes at North Village held its grand opening Wednesday as business development continues in the area. 

Rooms have been available to book at My Place Hotel since January, but leaders from the hotel brand attended the grand opening ceremony at 3621 N. Village Dr. where food, tours and prizes were available for attendees. 

“We’ve been around for about ten years, growing very rapidly,†My Place Hotels CEO Ryan Rivett said. “And so we are introducing ourselves to new markets like St. Joseph, and I’m really happy to be here.†

Each guest room has a full kitchen, refrigerator, two-burner cooktop, and other small kitchen appliances. 

The hotel has 64 rooms, and Rivett said the smaller room count allows them to focus on relationships with its guests. 

“As you walk through the front doors, you’re going to find the same,†he said. “You’re going to find a clean, comfy, friendly location. Every room is equipped for a 30-day stay or more, or just one night.†

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Director of Marketing and Communications Kristi Bailey said the additional hotel space helps solve an issue in St. Joseph. St. Joseph hotel occupancy rates typically run high and result in higher rates for rooms. 

“The more hotel rooms we add, the lower the prices can become for hotel rooms, which in turn makes St. Joseph an easier place to visit,†Bailey said. “So if your trip is less expensive, you’re more likely to choose St. Joseph as a destination.†

The My Place Hotel is one of the many new projects arriving in the north end of St. Joseph. Just north of the hotel, a new family-owned veterinary clinic is in the early stages of its construction at 5423 N. Pointe Dr. 

Across the road from the veterinary clinic, construction workers are building a hotel at 3615 N. Village Dr.

Business development also continues in Tuscany Village near the North Shoppes. Golf simulator Swing365 recently held its grand opening at 4797 Sienna Drive, and next door, skin care business Oasis Face Bar has a banner announcing that the business is coming soon. 

“We have new businesses opening in St. Joseph, we have more employers,†Bailey said. “In general, it’s just a great time in St. Joseph for business.†

Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — After a night filled with some wins and some losses, some may be wondering, “What comes next” for St. Joseph’s high schools.

The St. Joseph School District’s Proposition 2 bond measure to build a new high school South of U.S. Highway 36 was voted down by St. Joseph residents on Tuesday. More than 53% of voters opposed the measure.

As stated in the district’s long-range plan, the next step could be to ask voters to approve an $80 million no-tax bond in April 2026. That would upgrade two of the district’s existing high schools, as plans remain to close one location.

“The reason we even had this proposition was to execute a long-range plan. We’re able to address specifically inequities among the offering of both activities and academics at the three high schools, a feeder system throughout the district that really doesn’t make sense, a mixed middle school model,” said Mike Moore, school board vice president.

Despite voters saying no to building a new facility on Tuesday, district officials have said they still will move to a two-high school model, with Central and Lafayette remaining open and potentially receiving upgrades. Benton will become a middle school, they said.

School Board President LaTonya Williams said it will be up to how the board votes to determine if voters will see the measure on April 2026 ballots.

“It is in the long-range plan in order to use a portion of the bond capacity,” Williams said. “We’re able to use up to $80 million if the board chooses in order to do so.”

Moore said that although the loss of the Prop 2 measure was unfortunate, the district will move forward with plans to strengthen schools in the current facilities.

“Those opportunities are still there, and fortunately, we can execute those, make the district stronger,” Moore said. “We’ll just have to do it in the buildings we already have.”

In a previous interview with News-Press NOW, the St. Joseph School Board said the long-range plan would not change, regardless of who was elected for the two open board seats.

Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The annual Crime Victim Memorial Service will be held at the Remington Nature Center on Wednesday night to honor those lost through acts of violence.

The event, which starts at 5:30 p.m., allows families and friends to honor their loved ones and bond with others who have shared a similar experience as a part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

Members of the community were allowed to place a stone with a loved one’s name in the rock garden.

St. Joseph resident Dana Miljavac was in attendance to honor her son Caden Embrey who lost his life in an incident involving a gun in February 2023.

“This is just a beautiful place that we can go,” Miljavac said. “My favorite saying is that grief is definitely the price we pay for love and it’s just peaceful out here today. It’s really nice to be able to come to a place like this where you can remember your loved ones and we’re grateful for it.”

For attendees like Miljavac, these are moments where it helps to be surrounded by family and people who can support you.

“The one thing I pride in my family is the closeness that we have with each other,” Miljavac said. “I don’t know how I would make it through without my children and family being by my side through all of this because it never gets easier.”

The Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office hosts this event twice a year, during the spring and winter.

Community members will have the opportunity to attend the next crime victim memorial tree lighting at the Buchanan County courthouse in November 2025. 

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph residents will notice some new faces at City Hall, as well as familiar faces in new roles, following a recent staff reorganization effort.

One notable change will see the promotion of Dawn Lanning from finance director to assistant city manager. Lanning has been with the city since 2000 and will play a key role in project management alongside City Manager Mike Schumacher.

“Funds get allocated for projects by council and then they’ve done their part. We need to make sure that on the staff level, we’re doing our part, as well as making sure that this office is able to support departments and what they’re trying to get done,” Schumacher said. “I look very forward to working with her.”

Filling Lanning’s position as finance director will be Nicole Poirier, a former forensic auditor with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Communications and Community Engagement Director Mary Robertson will become manager of St. Joseph’s Civic Arena, Missouri Theater and Remington Nature Center following the retirement of Civic Facilities Manager Kathy Brock, a stalwart of the city for the last 45 years.

Robertson also will work as a liaison between the city and Downtown.

“Adding staff to really focus on our relationships Downtown and how we can partner and help Downtown be even more successful,” Schumacher said. “I am all about Downtown.”

Longtime News-Press NOW newsroom leader Jessica Kozol has been hired to fill the city’s communications and community engagement role.

Josh Royle, formerly with Buchanan County government, has been tapped as the city’s new director of information technology, a key area of focus, Schumacher said.

Information technology will now become a standalone department.

“That’s the backbone of the entire organization … an area that we really want to focus on,” Schumacher added. “The security of our operations is really key.”

A series of high-profile cyber attacks in recent years on businesses and city governments across the country — largely by foreign criminal networks — has enhanced the spotlight on cybersecurity and upgraded IT systems.

Kendra Simpson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — This week’s edition of See St. Joseph promises a magical weekend filled with philanthropy, classic circus thrills and overlooked wizards finally getting to step into the spotlight.

Most know the story of a certain wizarding school that separates its students into four groups: the brave, the ambitious, the wise and the other ones. Benton High School is giving the overlooked wizards a chance to shine in its production of “Puffs the Play.” A boy wizard named Harry went to wizarding school and fought a noseless villain to defeat evil, but this isn’t about him! It’s about those who were never destined to save the world. This award-nominated show promises laughs, whether you’re a muggle, a wizard or even an elf. The show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 10, 11 and 12, at Benton High School. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or by visiting bentontheatre.com.

The 11th annual Run and Walk for the Paws 5k helps keep St. Joseph residents and their pets in shape while supporting the animal shelter. Every year, Friends of the Animal Shelter hosts the 5k to help with the never-ending expenses of caring for homeless pets, including vaccinations, sheltering and general care of St. Joseph’s cutest four-legged residents. Dogs are welcome to join in on the fun, provided they are friendly with others and up to date on their rabies vaccines. There will be an award ceremony for the top-finishing humans and dogs. The race begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, in the parking lot across from Bode Ice Arena, which is located at 2500 Southwest Parkway. Racers can register online at runsignup.com.

For one night only, the Missouri Theater will welcome a performance filled with spinning plates, knife swallowing, comedic acts and more with the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. The group has wowed worldwide audiences with a mix of circus, sideshow, vaudeville and variety arts. Jugglers, aerialists, sword swallowers and more will show off their skills. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at the Missouri Theater, 717 Edmond St. Tickets can be purchased online at paastjo.org.

Tune in to News-Press NOW every Thursday for more magical entertainment and activities in See St. Joseph.

News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Families are invited to a special Easter event next weekend at the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion.

The St. Joseph Museums is hosting its annual Easter at the Mansion celebration from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 19, at the mansion, 1100 Charles St.

The free event will include an Easter egg hunt, face painting, a balloon artist, crafts, a petting zoo and photos with the Easter Bunny.

The Museum Hill Neighborhood Association, Altec, First Lutheran Church, Zion Church, R/s Electric, Evolve Studios and Chase Candy Company are sponsoring the celebration. For more information, visit www.stjosephmuseum.org/events.